Brain Function, Memory & Mood

Is your memory not what it used to be? Do you have difficulty focusing on your work? Do you have trouble remembering people’s names? Do you experience anxiety that seems out of proportion compared to the stress in your life?

Brain function encompasses many areas, including memory, focus, space-time orientation, the ability to learn new skills, and mental-emotional states. Recent public health figures show alarming increases in brain function disorders for people of all ages:

The 2009 World Alzheimer’s Report cites a 10% increase in Alzheimer’s cases between 2005 and 2009, with a worldwide total of 35 million Alzheimer’s and dementia cases.

The CDC reports that 9.5% of American children ages 4-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD. New diagnoses increased by 5.5% per year between 2003-2007.

The CDC estimates that over 10% adults suffer from depression and nearly 40 million adult Americans or 18% suffer from anxiety disorders. For anxiety disorders alone more than $22.84 billion is spent annually for repeated use of health care services.

Many neurological and brain disorders are not yet well-understood. Causative factors include neurodegeneration (death of brain cells), viral infections, environmental toxins, and genetic predisposition. Depending on the condition, conventional Western medicine treatment may include a multitude of medications, surgery, or behavioral therapy.

The practitioners at OHS understand brain health to be a direct extension of health in the rest of the body. Many factors, such as blood sugar disregulation, poor oxygenation to the brain, food intolerances, poor digestive health leading to leaky gut/leaky blood-brain -barrier, systemic inflammation, and adrenal hyper/hypofunction could contribute to a decline in brain health. We are trained to recognize signs associated with imbalances in specific neurotransmitters, and address most cases with these treatment approaches:

Acupuncture protocols that specifically address brain injury, regulate feedback between the peripheral and central nervous systems, promote healthy circulation patterns, and modulate the stress response. Acupuncture has long been used as a treatment to help improve memory and cognitive function. A 2006 study in Neurology Research demonstrated that acupuncture significantly helped with test subjects’ memory and calculation1. Recent clinical studies are also showing that acupuncture helps with anxiety, depression, and control insomnia2, and even improve the immune response of people with anxiety3.